%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1301011990008190500%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.%%[[quoteright:190:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mcdonalds_215.bmp]][[caption-width-right:190: I'm lovin' it.]]

->''"Billions and billions served."''

Did somebody say [=McDonald's=]?

That's probably how you got to this page -- it's probably ''the'' most common "not-a-wiki-word" that appears on the Wiki/TVTropes Wiki, since our wiki parser automatically converts CamelCase into article links.

But since [=McDonalds=] is such a [[PopCulturalOsmosis big part of modern culture]], we may as well make the visit worth your while. (Would you like fries with that?)

It all started in 1954 when Ray Kroc, a milkshake mixer salesman, found out that one of his customers brought many more mixers than usual for a business. He traveled to San Bernardino, California, to find that two brothers, Dick and Mac [=McDonald=], ran their diner at an amazing rate, serving way more customers than a usual restaurant should by the simple expedient of ''not'' making each burger to order; instead of putting veggies and condiments according to each customer's preference, every burger was made to a more-or-less uniform standard to maximize efficiency while the restaurant had a [[NewerThanTheyThink condiment bar]] where customers could then add ketchup and mustard on their own. He pitched them the idea of creating [=McDonald's=] restaurants all over the U.S. The [=McDonald's=] Corporation was founded the next year. By 1958, [=McDonald's=] had sold 100 million hamburgers. By 1960, Kroc bought exclusive rights to the [=McDonald's=] name.

1963 saw the creation of the restaurant chain's most famous mascot, a clown called Ronald [=McDonald=]. The character was later given his own fantasy world for the commercials in the 1970s, [=McDonaldland=]. The creation of the long running advertising campaign originally involved SidAndMartyKrofftProductions using their ''Series/HRPufnstuf'' characters, only to be told by [=McDonald's=] advertising company, Needham, Harper and Steers, that the project was cancelled. With them out of the way, the agency blatantly plagiarized the Kroffts' concept using their former crew. The Kroffts noticed, and successfully sued [=McDonald's=].

Since then, [=McDonald's=] has added more than the original burgers, fries and sodas to its menu. Breakfast items are sold from opening until 10 A.M. (11 A.M on Sundays), unlike most independent restaurants in their price range who'll serve their breakfast menu all day if they have one. The Filet-O-Fish was created to cater to the Catholic communities that ate no meat on Fridays during Lent (fish doesn't count). The Happy Meal and corporate {{Mascot}} Ronald [=McDonald=] were created to appeal to children. [=McCafé=] items (after the café section offered in a few countries) were added in the late 2000s to compete with Starbucks and other coffee vendors. And then, of course, there's the chain's flagship burger, the Big Mac. Its ingredients made for a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK2qBbDn5W0 snappy jingle]]: "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun." (That bun is a 3-part bun, making the Big Mac a double-decker burger). The Big Mac is so well known that the number of calories in one is often used [[HiroshimaAsAUnitOfMeasure as a unit of measure]] (as in, "(Fatty food X) has as many calories as 3 Big Macs.")[[note]]A Big Mac with the default toppings has 540 calories in the US and Canada. In Europe and Oceania, a Big Mac ranges from 490-500 calories.[[/note]]

The original San Bernardino restaurant has since been re-designed into a museum dedicated to the company. The oldest [=McDonald's=] [[LongRunners still in operation]] is the 4th location in Downey, California, which sports an image of Speedee the Hamburger-Head Mascot and a sign proudly proclaiming that the chain has sold ''500 million'' hamburgers[[note]]It survived intact for so long because the original owner's franchise agreement was with the [=McDonald=] brothers, prior to Kroc's takeover and the addition of a mandatory modernization clause to the franchise agreement[[/note]]. By the 1970s, the company buildings began including dining rooms and drive-through windows, coinciding with the addition of the now-trademark Mansard roof. In 2008, a new "modern" store design was unveiled, dubbed "Forever Young" (or [[FanNickname "Giant Eyebrow of Doom"]]).

The quality and nutritional value of the food served is [[AWeightyAesop debatable]] - if nothing else, it sets the floor that everyone else has to do better than to be in the restaurant business - but no one can deny that the ubiquity of this fast food restaurant (over 30,000 in 119 countries) has a significant impact on human culture.

The corporation operates a fully-furnished, constantly updated to the latest store model but [[http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/2293 entirely fake restaurant]] in Southern California which is [[ProductPlacement offered to film and TV productions]] as well as used for almost all of their own commercials (worldwide). Chances are when you see a [=McDonalds=] on TV, it's that one.

Due to the company's wide scope, it has produced many works (most frequently advertising) with tropes of their own. For YMMV on ''works'' related to [=McDonald's=], click [[YMMV/{{McDonalds}} here]].

----!!This company provides examples of:

* [[WritersCannotDoMath Advertising Copywriters Cannot Do Math]]: When the UK [=McDonalds=] introduced a "Pound Saver" menu (8 items for £1 each), they promoted it as "40,312 combinations". This was presumably supposed to be the number of ways of ordering from the Pound Saver menu a meal consisting of 2-8 items once each, but for some unfathomable reason they worked it out as 8!-8. The correct calculation is 2[[superscript:8]]-9, the total of all combinations minus 1 for the "combination" consisting of no items and 8 for those consisting of only one -- a much less impressive 247.[[note]]The 40,312 figure would be correct ''if'' the order of the items in each combo mattered -- that is, if 7 fries and one Big Mac was a different combination than six fries, one Big Mac, and one additional fries.[[/note]]* AnimatedAdaptation: ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcyIjYE_wqo The Wacky Adventures of Ronald [=McDonald=]]]''* BarefootCartoonAnimal: Birdie, who wears only goggles and overalls.* BlatantBurglar: The Hamburglar wears a domino mask and a costume with black-and-white horizontal stripes. His frequent mutterings of "robble robble robble" don't exactly help hide his intentions, either.* BoringButPractical:** As mentioned in the description, their entire business model was built on this, making uniform burgers to increase the restaurants' efficiency.** Their most popular menu item for a long time has been the Filet-O-Fish sandwich, largely due to the fact that observant Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays (fish doesn't count). The [[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=filet-o-fish number one definition]] for the Filet-O-Fish on ''Website/UrbanDictionary'' even refers to it as "the Catholic Big Mac".[[note]]NSFW warning -- the ''second'' definition, in true ''Urban Dictionary'' fashion, describes a made-up sex act.[[/note]] It's also become popular among Muslims, due to the fact that the sandwich's ingredients just so happened to meet halal guidelines.* BurgerFool: But of course.** [=McDonald's=] is the TropeCodifier. In fact, ''Fast Food Nation'' accuses them of trying to make their jobs so simple that a new person could be trained in 15 minutes, making everyone wholly expendable.** Needless to say, the company is not exactly a fan of the "[=McJob=]" slang for a badly paid nonunion fast food job with poor working conditions that a trained chimp could do. In the UK (where the term is particularly popular) their recruiting department even ran an advertising campaign with the tagline "Not bad for a [=McJob=]" in an attempt to neutralize the negative image associated with working at [=McDonalds=] has. It didn't work. When the Oxford English Dicitionary added [=McJob=] to the dictionary, the company threatened to ''sue the dictionary'' for trademark infringement and also attempted to start a petition to get the definition changed (it failed, partly because [[EpicFail its own employees wouldn't sign it]]). [[note]]The chain also uses the phrase "[=McJobs=]" for a disabled employment campaign.[[/note]]** The suspicion is that companies depending on poorly paid [=McJobs=] would not welcome trained chimpanzees, as animals would have better legislation to protect their interests and welfare, and paying in peanuts would, in the long run, cost more than minimum wage. * CaptainErsatz: ** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MaDonal MaDonal]] in Northern Iraq, as well as Matbax.** Ronald [=McDonald=] himself. In the Washington DC area Bozo the Clown made appearances at local [=McDonald's=] bringing in massive crowds. When the show was cancelled, actor Willard Scott (yes, the weatherman) created a new costume and name while keeping the Bozo act.** The other [=McDonaldland=] characters were blatantly ripped off from ''Series/HRPufnstuf'' after SidAndMartyKrofftProductions refused to license the original characters. The company sued and [=McDonald's=] ended up paying a large settlement.* CatchPhrase:** The Hamburglar's was "Robble Robble!".** "RAN RAN RUU!" for Ronald in Japan.* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: ** The [=McDonaldland=] characters outside of Ronald haven't been seen in years. Even Ronald himself hasn't been seen in commercials lately.** Mayor [=McCheese=] has almost disappeared entirely after lawsuits from the owners of ''Serries/HRPufnstuf''.* CoversAlwaysLie: The food never looks as good in real life as it does in ads. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUjz_eiIX8k Here's]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSd0keSj2W8 why]].* CrunchTastic: Early ads featuring Ronald [=McDonald=] called him "the world's newest, silliest and hamburger-eatingest clown!".* DefectorFromDecadence: Canada's first Ronald [=McDonald=], Geoffrey Giuliano, became a vegetarian activist and submitted testimony against the company during the [=McLibel=] case.* ADogNamedDog: Birdie the Early Bird. Grimace is technically a variant, since "Grimace" was [[AKindOfOne made his species' name later on]].* DubNameChange[=/=]JapaneseRanguage: In Japan Ronald [=McDonald=] is called Donald [=McDonald=], in deference to the lack of a clear "r" sound in Japanese. It’s quite interesting to note that the first English teacher in Japan was an American named [[HilariousInHindsight Ranald [=McDonald=]]].* DumbIsGood: The Grimace. Though he wasn't exactly a genius when he was evil either.* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Early locations were walk-up stands with no seating. The signature Mansard roofs didn't come until the early 70s.* FeatherFingers: Birdie.* FlawedPrototype: ** Before releasing the Filet-O-Fish, the company test-marketed the "Hulaburger" - basically a hamburger with a slice of pineapple in place of the meat.** In an attempt to compete with Burger King's onion rings, [=McDonald's=] introduced [[http://grist.org/list/mcdonalds-tried-to-make-onion-nuggets-happen/ Onion Nuggets]] in the 1970s. They were pulled after poor sales in only four test markets, but [=McDonald's=] would go on to revisit the "nugget" concept in the 1980s with the much more popular Chicken [=McNuggets=]. Since then they've flirted with selling onion rings, but only during limited time offers.** Several concepts have attempted to compete with Burger King's Whopper:*** The [=McDLT=] (1984), which came in a box that had the hot burger patty on one side and the toppings on the other (the idea being that the toppings would stay cool and fresh while the burger itself was hot). A chicken variation was also available. It was retired due to concerns over its styrofoam packaging.*** The [=McLean=] Deluxe (1991), a low-fat burger which replaced most of the fat with carrageenan but otherwise identical to the [=McDLT=]. Quietly dropped in 1996.*** Their "adult" menu (1996) included the Arch Deluxe (a "premium" burger with higher-quality toppings), a grilled chicken sandwich, a fried chicken sandwich (replacing the [=McChicken=]) and a larger fish sandwich. This whole line was intentionally targeted at adults, with ads featuring children repulsed over the food. While this burger line was one of the biggest flops in fast food history, the Filet o' Fish permanently adopted the larger size; the grilled and fried chicken sandwiches were simply renamed; and the [=McChicken=] came back. Some of the "adult" menu concepts were {{Re Tool}}ed into the Big N' Tasty (2000-2011), which was also nearly identical to the [=McDLT=], and the Angus line of burgers introduced in 2006 and phased out in 2013.*** The phase-out of the Angus Third-Pounder burgers had less to do with lack of market appeal and more to do with [=McDonald=]'s need to streamline their production process; the new "Quarter Pounder Burgers" line that replaced the Angus burgers do not require an additional grill dedicated to them, since they're made with the same 1/4-pound (precooked) meat patties used in their regular and Double Quarter Pounders.** Another concept that never took off was pizza, which was tried in only a few markets in the late 80s-early 90s. It was, however, more popular in Canada, being introduced in 1992 and continuing to be served as late as 1999.** Despite CEO Ray Kroc insisting that [=McDonald's=] ''never'' sell hot dogs (he viewed them as unhygienic), some [=McDonald's=] stores nevertheless have sold hot dogs in the past. One summer during the 2000s, for instance, they briefly sold half-smokes as part of a summer-themed line of foods; they were dropped not long after. Midwest restaurants do sell Johnsonville bratwurst as a seasonal item.** They have also tried concept restaurants to varying degrees of success. Among these were:*** [=McDonald's=] Express (small locations with limited menus, often found in convenience stores, airports, malls, and UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}} stores). A few are still around, mainly Canadian Walmart ones.*** Various takes on drive-thru-only locations, including some built in a {{Retraux}} 1950s style. Likewise, a few still exist.*** Five "Mini Mac" locations with drive-thru and walk-up windows akin to Rally's/Checkers[[note]]Bay City and Redford Township, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; West Los Angeles, California; and Boston, Massachusetts[[/note]]. Surprisingly for such a failed concept, two (West Los Angeles, California and Bay City, Michigan) are still open.*** [=McDiner=], which was obviously a diner-style restaurant. These existed in Indiana and Kentucky from 2001 to 2004, when they were converted to standard [=McDonald's=] restaurants.* FollowTheLeader: If [=McDonald's=] has done it (fish sandwich, chicken nuggets, play places, Happy Meals, salads, Angus burgers, high-end coffees), chances are that many fast food chains have copied. Even if they weren't the first to develop something (for instance, Burger Chef was actually the first chain to have kids' meals), their version is usually the example that every other chain follows.** Going the other way, the Big Mac is a clone of Big Boy's "Big Boy" burger (two patties, extra bun in the middle, secret sauce).** [=McCafe=] was started to cash in on the success of Starbucks.** Burger King actually lampshaded this in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lag2vDx2faQ one ad]].* FoodPorn: [=McDonald's=] certainly pushes it hard in the commercials. Fun fact: When you see the burgers on TV, the pickles stick out the side so the viewer can see them. If you're actually ''working'' at [=McDonalds=], the pickle goes in the center of the burger so that it can get bitten into from any direction.* FrivolousLawsuit: ** They're rather infamous for this, frequently taking other businesses to court for "copyright infringement", typically for including the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" in their names. They once sued a Scottish café owner called [=McDonald=], even though the place had been in business for over a century.** On the other side, the oft-repeated Stella Liebeck case was against [=McDonalds=]. You know, the one where the woman spilled hot coffee over herself while driving, sued, and won millions of dollars? The whole story, though, is a lot more nuanced: the coffee [=McDonalds=] served (and continues to serve) is at 180-190°F (82.2-87.8°C) which Liebeck's attorneys argued is way too high and made the coffee defective, Liebeck wasn't even driving the car (it was her grandson's Ford Probe, who had pulled over to let her add cream and sugar) and had the cup between her thighs because the car had no cupholders, she was wearning cotton sweatpants which absorbed the hot liquid and kept it next to her skin she ended up with 3rd-degree burns--some of which were in [[GroinAttack some very sensitive areas]] (think: if you spill hot coffee from a cup held between your thighs in a cramped car, where would it go?)--and needed over a week in the hospital (during which time she lost nearly 20% of her weight) and two years of further medical treatment, and they initially tried to settle for $20,000 to cover medical expenses (the company initially responded with just $800). The trial itself saw the jury award Liebeck $200,000 in compensation and $2.7 million in punitive damages, but the judge cut this down to $640,000 and they later settled out of court.* GogglesDoNothing: Birdie is rarely, if ever, seen with her aviator goggles over her eyes.* GrandfatherClause: A handful of mostly southern California restaurants still use 1950s store designs. Their original owners' franchise agreements were with the [=McDonald=] brothers - it wasn't until Ray Kroc took over that mandatory updating was included - and those stores now qualify for historic preservation.** They've also grandfathered in a few nonstandard ones, such as one in New York City that's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denton_House_%28New_York%29 inside an 18th century mansion]].* IconicLogo: In fact, the Golden Arches are included in that Trope's image.* LetsMeetTheMeat: Played straight in many ads. Subverted by the singing fish, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bJOIqVAD-s who isn't very happy about being made into a sandwich and the rest of his remains mounted on a wall]].* LimitedWardrobe: Ronald [=McDonald=] and the rest of the [=McDonaldland=] characters almost always wear the same outfits.* LintValue: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyzYI3TV8IQ This]] Dollar Menu commercial.* MsFanservice: Japan also has a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UKLncvGxQ8&feature=related female mascot]], who has bright red hair and wears basically a dress version of Ronald's outfit. HeadTiltinglyKinky to some...* MultiArmedAndDangerous: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97YXbNaAyzA The Evil Grimace]] before he was retconned into the lovable two-armed good guy we know now.* NonIronicClown: The lovable Ronald [=McDonald=].* OutOfFocus: All of the mascots save for Ronald [=McDonald=]. Though even he is starting to appear less and less.* OvercomplicatedMenuOrder: The Drive Thru Rap from YouTube (made even worse when rapped at full speed): --> I need a double cheeseburger and hold the lettuce don't be frontin son no seeds on the bun we be up in this dive thru order for two gotta craving for a number nine like my shoe need some chicken up in here in this dizzle for rizzle my nizzle extra salt on the frizzle Dr.Pepper my brother another for your mother double double super size and don't forget the..... FRIES * {{Retraux}}: Many restaurants in the 1980s and 1990s were built in a faux-fifties style. Some of them were even built to have only drive-thru and walk-up service, like the earliest ones. The [=McDonald's=] near Charing Cross Station in London once had a beautiful ArtDeco interior, but is now a bland modern design.* RepurposedPopSong:** The '60s Lovin' Spoonful hit "Do You Believe in Magic?" was used in a few commercials featuring Ronald.** Music/DonnaSummer's "She Works Hard For the Money" was remade into "She gets more for her money, 'Cause [=McDonald's=] treats her right."** Music/BobbyDarin's "Mack the Knife" was rewritten as "Mac Tonight" to advertise that [=McDonald's=] was staying open at later hours. A campaign which was accompanied by [[http://assets6.thrillist.com/v1/image/939031/size/tl-horizontal_main this]] animated mascot (though in America he wasn't animated).** (Buh-duh bah-bah-bah!) "I'm Lovin' It" (the current slogan) was originally a Music/JustinTimberlake song.* TooSmartForStrangers: [[http://youtu.be/Jwb9W51j7fo The second commercial]] seemed to be ''trying'' for this, but instead, it just comes off as incredibly creepy.--> '''Boy''': My mother told me never to talk to strangers.--> '''Ronald''': Well your mother's right as always, but, I'm Ronald [=McDonald=]! Here, give me a [=McDonald=]'s shake!* TrademarkFavoriteFood:** The Hamburglar has [=McDonald's=] burgers.** The Grimace has [=McDonald's=] shakes.** The Fry-guys. [[CaptainObvious Guess what theirs is.]]* UnPerson: The company's official history gives more credit to the [=McDonald=] brothers than it did prior to Ray Kroc's death, but still glosses over things like the fact they had already begun franchising before Kroc entered the picture.* WeDontSuckAnymore: They seem to be doing this in 2015, though a lot of it is actually more "We never really sucked, it's just you believed a lot of crap and lies about us. Here's why they're not true."

!!Pop culture references to [=McDonald's=]:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Comics]]* In a story arc of ''TheFabulousFurryFreakBrothers'', Fat Freddy finds himself in Scotland. Feeling hungry, he walks into an establishment with the name MacDonald's over the door to find, to his disgust, it doesn't serve burgers - only whiskey, beer and stale potato chips. [[/folder]]

[[folder: Documentary]]* ''Film/SuperSizeMe'' is a documentary where director Morgan Spurlock spends thirty days eating exclusively at [=McDonalds=] to demonstrate the effects of fast food on American diet, interspersed with segments from fans and critics of the company.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]* The story FanFic/GarfieldInAlongCameASplut has Ronald briefly cameo, now a nihilistic DeathSeeker after falling on hard times (he can't even afford to buy one of his own happy meals). He happily ends his hollow existence of product placement by letting {{Garfield}} run him over in the [[Film/BackToTheFuture Delorean.]][[/folder]]

[[folder: Film]]* In ''Film/PulpFiction'', Jules and Vincent discuss what a Quarter Pounder with cheese is called in France. It's apparently called a "Royale with Cheese" and a Big Mac is called "Le Big Mac". [[note]]In real life, ''Royal Deluxe'' and just plain ''Big Mac'' respectively.[[/note]]** This gets [[ActorAllusion referenced]] in ''Film/FromParisWithLove'', where a Royale with Cheese is the TrademarkFavoriteFood of John Travolta's character.* In ''Film/ComingToAmerica'', Akeem finds work at a fast food restaurant called [=McDowell's=]. Since [=McDonald's=] actually exists in the film's universe, the similarity is heavily {{lampshade|Hanging}}d. Ironically, the [=McDowell's=] building was a dressed-up Wendy's.* In ''Film/DarkShadows'', Barnabas awakes in 1972 after having been buried for 196 years, and the first thing he sees is a golden arches sign. He thinks the "M" stands for "Mephistopheles".* In the film ''Film/RichieRich'', the title character has his own operating [=McDonald's=] in his family's gigantic mansion.* The 1988 film ''Film/MacAndMe'' is an ''Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}}''-[[FollowTheLeader like]] movie that features lots of ProductPlacement for [=McDonald's=]. In fact, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdvO0tmNjGo one big scene]] takes place in one during a birthday party! Guest starring Ronald [=McDonald=] [[CharacterAsHimself As Himself]].* One of the kids in ''Film/SpaceCamp'' talks about building a [=McDonald's=] on the moon in case an astronaut gets a "Big Mac Attack". Same kid later mentions a guy he knew who could hold his breath for a long time by thinking about eating french fries.* Mooby's of TheViewAskewniverse is an obvious parody. ''Film/ClerksII'' is set almost entirely inside one.* An odd reference in ''Film/ScotlandPA'', a BlackComedy SettingUpdate of ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' in a rural fast-food restaurant in the 70's. After Joe and Pat murder Duncan and take over his restaurant, they rename it after themselves: [=McBeth's=]. They even use a giant letter M as their logo.* The live action film version of ''Film/TheFlintstones'' has [[FlintstoneTheming RockDonald's]], where "dozens and dozens" have been served. Some [=McDonald's=] stores were even redone to [=RockDonald'ses=] to help promote the film., and [=RockDonald's=] featured heavily in TV ads for both [=McDonald's=] and [[ProductPlacement the film itself]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'': When Arthur has to come to terms with the destruction of Earth, he realizes that it's simply [[AMillionIsAStatistic too big for him to comprehend.]] So he tries to think about the destruction of England, then [=McDonalds=], and finally settles for being sad about never getting a Big Mac again.** In ''Mostly Harmless'', it is discovered that an alien race has been observing humanity for years, and building up a huge addiction to [=McDonalds=] on the way.* ''Literature/GoodOmens'' features references to Burger Lord and their mascot, [=McLordy=] the Clown. As well as what happened when Burger Lord agents tried to visit France.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action Television]]* In an episode of ''Series/RedDwarf'', where the crew answer a distress call turning out to emanate from a long-dead female crew, Rimmer looks down at the skeletal remains and wails that they've got as much meat on them as a Chicken [=McNugget=]. The "Mc", though visible from Chris Barrie's lip movements is notably muted.* "[=WacArnold's=]" on a skit from ''Series/ChappellesShow''.* [=McDoggles=] from ''Series/{{Pizza}}''.* An episode of AllInTheFamily had Archie talk about franchising the bar he recently acquired. He compares it to [=McDonalds=], saying he'll have "The Golden Archies" and a sign that says "Over two million boopabloops served". (This was AVerySpecialEpisode where Archie was hopped up on pills.)[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]* [[Music/DireStraits Mark Knopfler's]] song "Boom, Like That", is all about Ray Kroc's turning [=McDonald's=] into a franchise, and his less than nice techniques. (After he bought them out, the original [=McDonald=] brothers started a new restaurant. Kroc put a [=McDonald's=] across the street and ran them out of business.)-->''The competition, send them south; they're gonna drown, put a hose in their mouth.''* In one of his songs, Music/DoctorSteel sings that he has a "Ronald [=McRaygun=]".* Music/MitchBenn, in a song for ''Radio/TheNowShow'', suggests [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71EYpAJy54 one possible reason]] for a fall in [=McDonald's=] share price. * In John Conlee's "Common Man", the title character offers to take his date to [=McDonald's=] since he's not a fancy guy.* Music/WesleyWillis' "Rock & Roll [=McDonald's=]"* "[[DemiLovato I'm no supermodel/I still eat at [=McDonald=]'s, baby]]/[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmjO1p9Oxrk But that's just me.]]"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]* [=McArnolds=] is the ''ComicStrip/FunkyWinkerbean'' equivalent.* In one ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' strip, Calvin is bored from the length of time it's taking for the coals to cook burgers to heat up. [[AnAesop His dad gives him a long inspirational speech about the importance of waiting and slowing down]]. Calvin just asks [[ComicallyMissingThePoint if he should just go to [=McDonalds=]]].* In the early 2000s ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'' Huey and Caesar spent many panels mocking the [=McDonalds=] hip hop marketing campaign.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]* ''Website/TheOnion''** [[http://www.theonion.com/articles/mcdonalds-drops-hammurderer-character-from-adverti,127/ [=McDonald=]'s Drops 'Hammurderer' Character From Advertising]].---> "Stabble stabble stabble!"** [[http://www.theonion.com/articles/not-quite-perfect-mcdonalds-opens-in-illinois-outl,1328/ Not Quite Perfect [=McDonald=]'s Opens]]. * ''WebComic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' begins with the "[=McBonald's=]" fast food restaurant chain.** Originally, it actually was the actual [=McDonald=]'s, with Ronald himself as the villain of the first arc. It and every subsequent reference and reappearance of the clown and restaurant were quietly replaced with Donald [=McBonald=] to prevent any possible legal issues when printing books.* Creator/BradJones has tried two [=McDonald's=] OpenSecret menu items on his ''WebVideo/BradTries'' segment; the [=Mc10:35=], a combo of the [=McDouble=] and the Egg [=McMuffin=] (which he found kind of bland), and the [=McGangBang=], a combo of the [=McDouble=] and the [=McChicken=] (which he found pretty good, and kicked himself for not trying it sooner). He's since done a video on the [=McRib=] (which he already loves, and mostly did because it was commonly requested and to compare it to the Burger King BBQ Rib Sandwich), and made up his own secret menu item in another video: The [=McRibMac=] (replacing the beef patties in a Big Mac with a split in half [=McRib=]).** A different segment of his, ''WebVideo/EightiesDan'', discussed the [=McDLT=]. [[spoiler: Turns out it's a ''bad'' idea to eat a burger that's been in a time capsule for twenty years.]]* A RunningGag in ''Webcomic/JoeLovesCrappyMovies'' is replacing actors in bad movies with The Grimace to make them better. He also tends to get stabbed a lot.* Early strips of ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'' had Lindesfarne work at a lawyer friendly version of [=McDonalds=], [=McRoughage=], a fast food join catering to the herbivore members of society. Rudy tried to extort money (and a year's worth of customers for him to eat) from them by cybersquatting on every possible web address [=McRoughage=] could use to force their hand. They responded by changing their name to [=McFiber=] instead.* The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q16KpquGsIc McRoll]]. A video of Ronald doing a weird dance to the tune of [[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Flandre Scarlet's]] popular theme ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyC5eWJhCr8 U.N. Owen Was Her?]]''. For some reason, it has become [[MemeticMutation more popular]] than the original song. In fact, there are quite a lot of variations of the McRoll that involve songs other than Flan's theme. There's a youtube channel containing many of them [[http://www.youtube.com/user/SuperBocky here, for those interested]].* [[{{Webcomic/Forever16}} Joel Maxwell]] starts working at one in this [[http://jbwarner86.deviantart.com/art/F16-McWorld-Politics-P3-440207851 strip.]] He sucks up so well [[spoiler:he gets transferred to Moscow]].* During the second part of the Lovers' Arc in ''WebVideo/VaguelyRecallingJoJo'', Jotaro Kujo is ordered by Steely Dan to ask for a smile from the cashier at a [=McDonald's=].[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Lots with respect to Krusty Burger, the "premiere"(?) fast-food chain in Springfield. It all starts with the restaurant's proprietor-founder, Krusty the Klown.** Episodes featuring specific references to [=McDonald's=] -- both at Krusty Burger and elsewhere:*** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E10LisasFirstWord Lisa's First Word]]": The 1993 episode features the Simpson family flashing back to 1983-1984. With pop culture references abounding (including one for rival chain Wendy's), the major one relating to [=McDonald's=] is a spoof of the chain's "scratch-and-win" promotion for the 1984 Olympics, where customers could win a Big Mac, french fries, a soft drink, or even a cash prize of up to $10,000 if Team USA won a medal in the visitor's listed event. Krusty Burger customers could also win food prizes or cash, but (like [=McDonald's=] in RealLife), the promotion was created and the tickets printed before the Soviet Union announced it was backing out of the Summer Games. Many of the tickets were printed to reflect events in which the [=USSR=] or another Eastern Bloc country was favored to win; with their withdrawal, the United States won many of those events, causing Krusty Burger to lose millions of dollars because they awarded more food than they had budgeted for.*** "22 Short Films About Springfield": Chief Wiggum and Springfield's "finest" are discussing the merits of Krusty Burger vs. [=McDonald's=], much like the "Royale with Cheese" scene in ''Film/PulpFiction''. The other Springfield officers have never heard of [=McDonald's=], though it's stated to have over 2,000 locations in [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the state]].*** "Missionary: Impossible": Mr. Burns yells at Bart -- thinking him to be Homer -- for "taking the Hamburglar's birthday off as a holiday" in one scene. (Bart had taken Homer's place at the plant when his father went on a last-minute mission trip ... to avoid persecution by angry Creator/{{PBS}} celebrities for making a hasty pledge to get their fundraising campaign off his TV, thinking they wouldn't be able to track him down and actually make him pay it.)*** "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can": Krusty Burger has a national "Ribwich Tour" to taste-test the Ribwich sandwich (a pork ribette sandwich similar to the [=McRib=]) in different markets. The "Ribwich Tour" drew its inspiration from the same campaign put on by [=McDonald's=], and when Krusty Burger pulled the Ribwich from its menu, it caused the same kind of uproar.*** "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer": It is revealed that Krusty pays local mob boss Fat Tony to keep rival restaurants, including [=McDonald's=] out of Springfield.* In ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'', the boys work at Burger World. The establishment's logo is an upside down version of the Golden Arches, a common way to parody the franchise. The restaurant itself is a parody of Whataburger, a regional chain with locations in Creator/MikeJudge's native Texas.* "[[BlandNameProduct Weenie Burgers]]" in ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' and countless {{anime}} productions.* "[=McWuncler's=]" in ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks''.* "[=MacMeaties=]" from ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''.* ''{{Disney/Hercules}}'' has the "Over X amount of people served" sign placed over the entrance of the River Styx. Currently, over 5,000,000,000 and 1 are "served".* Episode 3 of ''WesternAnimation/{{Clerks}}'' featured early [=McDonaldland=] characters Mayor [=McCheese=] and Officer Big Mac as public officials briefing the press during an apparent virus outbreak.[[/folder]]